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Vanilla Powder Vs Vanilla Extract

I was asked about vanilla powder this week; what it is and could my recipe for cashew nut butter use a vanilla extract rather than powder.

Here’s a round-up on the difference between the two …

Vanilla Powder Vs Vanilla Extract

Vanilla powder is made directly from vanilla beans. It’s brown in colour and has a wonderful aroma.

Keep in mind that it does colour food because of its own natural pigment. Think beige ‘vanilla ice cream.’ It tastes yummy and looks … well, not quite as pretty as white ice cream, but it’s worth trying. 🙂

Some vanilla powders may be adulterated with added sugar, so you need to check the brand before purchasing. If it’s not clear, you can always photograph the packet and drop the manufacturer a line. Or call them. I do that when sourcing new products I plan to buy regularly.

Extract is made with alcohol.

A vanilla extract could be made with Bourbon, Whisky or Vodka. These extracts can be made from potatoes or a mix of glutenous grains.

For the above reasons, it’s good to know the provenance of the ingredients (which is hard to tell without a little research) if you have any intolerances/allergies.

Pleasure Claire. I’ve used the seeds and part of the pod to make vanilla essence, vanilla rum essence (both on this blog) and you can add the seeds to flavour food. The skies the limit really. I just add anything I fancy to food and try it out! I do also really like the powder, because – as a dry product – it mixes really well into recipes.